Calculating the True Cost of Construction

A veteran builder uncovers the upgrades that take building budgets from baseline to busted

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Anybody can calculate their house’s cost per square foot after it’s built. Forecasting that number ahead of time, though, requires lots of work for the homeowner and the builder. This up-front planning forces a strong focus on the utility of each space in a house, including broad choices about size down to crucial forethought about where switches and outlets will be located. As veteran builder Paul Biebel demonstrates, the result is more accurate building plans, the homeowner and the builder seeing eye to eye, and a more realistic budget.

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